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| Genshin Impact Version Luna IV – “A Traveler on a Winter’s Night” key art |
By Jon Scarr
HoYoverse is kicking off 2026 with a major update for Genshin Impact. Version Luna IV, titled A Traveler on a Winter’s Night, arrives on January 14 and brings a mix of long-teased characters, a brand-new elemental reaction, a major story climax, and the return of one of the game’s biggest annual events.
At the centre of the update is Columbina, the Moon Maiden, joining the roster as a playable character. Alongside her arrival, the Lantern Rite returns to Liyue with a stack of rewards, Nod-Krai expands north for the first time, and the current Archon Quest storyline heads straight into its biggest turning point yet.
Columbina Arrives as the Moon Maiden
Columbina (also known as Hyposelenia) debuts as a 5-star Hydro Catalyst character built around the new Lunar Reaction system. She’s designed as a powerful support unit, with tools that let her trigger Lunar Reaction damage even while she’s off-field.
Her kit centres on a Lunar Domain that boosts Lunar Reactions and adds extra effects depending on what you’re triggering. Lunar-Charged gets additional thundercloud strikes, Lunar-Bloom creates extra resources, and Lunar-Crystallize gains more Moondrift attacks. She can also convert Electro-Charged, Bloom, and Hydro Crystallize into Lunar Reactions, and during the Nod-Krai adventure, she can even revive a fallen teammate.
A New Lunar-Crystallize Reaction Changes Geo Combat
Version Luna IV introduces Lunar-Crystallize, a new reaction triggered when Geo meets Hydro under specific conditions. When it triggers, it summons Moondrifts near enemies. After it’s triggered three times, it activates Moondrift Harmony, dealing Geo damage to nearby foes with a chance to land CRIT hits.
It’s a notable shift for Geo-focused teams, because it gives you a new way to push damage and build around reaction-driven momentum instead of treating Geo as purely defensive.
Zibai and Illuga Join the Fight
Zibai, the White Horse Adeptus, arrives as a 5-star Geo Sword character built specifically to capitalize on Lunar-Crystallize. By entering a special state and building up unique energy, Zibai can unleash increasingly frequent Lunar-Crystallize damage as more reactions are triggered, rewarding teams that commit to the new system.
The update also introduces Illuga, a 4-star Geo Polearm user and a Lightkeeper who battles alongside a messenger bird. Illuga is tied directly to Nod-Krai’s ongoing conflict and the new content arriving with the northward expansion.
Nod-Krai Expands North and the Archon Quest Climaxes
For the first time, Nod-Krai expands northward, opening up Piramida, the headquarters of the Lightkeepers. The new area adds more space for exploration and pushes the region’s conflict forward as the Wild Hunt threat continues to loom.
On the story side, the latest Archon Quest reaches its climax as Il Dottore pushes his plans forward after seizing the power of the Moon Marrows. The confrontation escalates into a twisted domain where reality bends, and completing the quest unlocks a new outfit for the Traveler, tying progression directly to the story’s turning point.
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| A story scene from Genshin Impact Version Luna IV as the Archon Quest reaches a turning point |
Lantern Rite Returns With Big Rewards
The Lantern Rite festival is back in Liyue with a new story that leans into the Adepti and Zibai’s return to the mortal world. Alongside the story, the event brings the usual mix of activities, mini-games, and limited-time rewards.
Lantern Rite rewards and freebies
- 1,600 Primogems via in-game mail
- 10 Intertwined Fates from a login event
- A new outfit for Yaoyao
- A free 4-star Liyue character invite
- A horse mascot cosmetic set delivered through in-game mail
Miliastra Wonderland also adds a new Classic Mode that lets you invite select characters from Teyvat into stage-based adventures, plus extra optional gameplay through the Colorful Surprise Box.
Version Luna IV shapes up as one of Genshin Impact’s more ambitious updates in a while. Between Columbina’s arrival, the introduction of Lunar-Crystallize, Nod-Krai’s first major expansion north, and the return of the Lantern Rite with its usual wave of rewards, this update brings meaningful story progression alongside systems that will likely reshape team-building going forward.
Genshin Impact Version Luna IV – “A Traveler on a Winter’s Night” Trailer
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